Health Canada approves Pfizer’s antiviral treatment for COVID-19

Health Canada has approved Pfizer’s antiviral treatment for COVID-19.

According to Health Canada’s website, it has authorized PAXLOVID which is a combination of two antiviral drugs nirmatrelvir and ritonavir.

The treatment has been approved for adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of progressing to serious disease, including hospitalization or death.

The active ingredient nirmatrelvir in PAXLOVID works by stopping the virus from replicating.

PAXLOVID is the first COVID-19 therapy that can be taken at home.

The drug is intended for use as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within five days of the start of symptoms.

The treatment consists of two tablets of nirmatrelvir and one tablet of ritonavir taken together by mouth twice per day for five days.

Health Canada says many medicines interact with PAXLOVID so users need to speak with a healthcare professional before taking the treatment.

Clinical trials show it was almost 90 per cent effective at preventing serious illness in higher-risk patients who received it within the first five days of being infected.